In light of people struggling with addiction in the community, AHS Bonnyville Addiction Services is offering new, free programming to give group support to those who need it.

A new program launched in September called the Matrix, a group setting that is geared towards individuals looking to address substance misuse, or waiting to go into residential treatment therapy. Often there is a several week or month wait, time that can be vulnerable and tempting to relapse for those seeking help.

This program, running Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons, is meant to help.

“Substance use disorder doesn’t discriminate on how much money you have in the bank, what kind of job you have, if you’re making six figures, or if you’re low income,” said Candina Wosminity, addictions counsellor for Alberta Health Services’ office in Bonnyville. 

“We see all realms of individuals coming in from highly successful people, to those people that are struggling with having a home or having those three meals to eat. It is such a broad problem in our community.

“We were brainstorming, what can we do to further support these people that need more intensive, better treatment. And so here comes the idea of the Matrix program…there’s this gap of time where people could be struggling with lack of that support.” 

There’s a variety of topics discussed throughout the 16 week program, which can be attended as often as schedules allow in those two-hour time slots from 1:00-3:00pm, three days a week.

Candina Wosminity, Bonnyville addictions counselor, at her office located in the Bonnyville Provincial Building, 2nd floor, in Room 201.

Early recovery is honed in on, with elements of education about how alcohol and drugs affect the brain, or rebuilding structure into what can be a chaotic life and lifestyle. It also highlights what day-to-day life looks like for the individual, and the potential triggers that are around them, whether it’s people, places, or emotions.

A focus is then placed on relapse prevention further into the process. Recovery can be fraught with the “honeymoon” stage, where someone is going through the initial withdrawals, then feels a lull after the initial burst of motivation.

“Relapse prevention may be focused on just the skills and strategies that support the clients remaining on the path of recovery, especially when they’re hitting that wall stage. So there’s 32 different topics like the self-care piece, emotions, stress, repairing relationships, building that trust again with family members, just to name a few,” said Wosminity. 

Also available every other Friday is the opportunity for a client to bring a family member or friend to the Matrix session, in order for them to gain a better understanding of the inate struggles relating to addiction and recovery.

Wosminity calls them the three C’s — loss of control, compulsion to use, and continuing to use despite the negative consequences — that can be hard to understand for those supporting a loved one.

‘We have been busier in the office…’

While much focus is placed on alcohol, drugs, there are a variety of other emerging trends in addictions — namely, the ease of today’s online gambling, gaming, and internet related addictions like social media and pornography.

These are issues that people can seek help for in their practices.

And although they don’t have the stats off hand, they are seeing more people every day to treat addiction.

“Have we been busier? Yeah, absolutely. We have been busier in the office. But for statistics and numbers, I couldn’t really off the top of my head tell, but certainly, we are busier,” said Wosminity. 

“Today can bring awareness to people that are having problematic use of these where it’s causing negative impacts in their life. That there is supports for process addiction as well, which we call the gambling and the Internet and shopping. We definitely support individuals in that area as well.” 

To get into the Matrix program, a person would call the office and make an appointment for an assessment, to ensure it will meet their needs and get to know them before they are thrust into a group setting. 

As well, every Tuesday from 1:00-3:00pm, people can drop-in without an appointment.

Beyond that, they offer individual counselling, with one-to-one counselling to build a treatment plan, or can help with applications for residential therapy for those that need more intense help.

Collateral appointments are also available for supporting family members, who want to help but aren’t sure how to.

The Matrix group is just another element to what they offer.

“The Matrix program has been a great addition to the services that we’re providing in Bonnyville.”